Shock touch protection of a mobile device

ABSTRACT

A mobile device (1) is disclosed comprising a data processing facility (10), a touch control facility (20) arranged to provide a touch input signal (St) to the data processing facility, and a motion state sensor facility (30) arranged to provide a shock indication signal (Sj) indicative for a magnitude of a third or higher derivative of a position of the mobile device. The mobile device further comprises a mode control facility (15) for selecting one of a plurality of mutually different operational modes (M1, M2). The plurality of mutually different operational modes at least comprises a normal operation mode (M1) wherein the touch input signal is used as control signal for controlling operation of the mobile device and a shock touch protection mode (M2), wherein the touch input signal is inhibited.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS

This application is the U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C.§ 371 of International Application No. PCT/IB2013/050972, filed on Feb.6, 2013, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.61/598,424, filed on Feb. 14, 2012. These applications are herebyincorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a mobile device.

The present invention further relates to a method of operating a mobiledevice.

The present invention still further relates to a storage medium havingstored thereon a computer program enabling a processor to carry out themethod.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

In recent years a major shift toward mobile computing has taken placedue to the abundant availability of various mobile devices. Examples arepalmtops, MDA's (Mobile Digital Assistant), PDA's (Personal digitalassistants), DAP's (digital audio players), PMP's (Portable mediaplayers), digital cameras, cell phones, Pocket PC's and GPS devices(Global Positioning System). These mobile devices may be hand-held or beintegrated in a car or other vehicle.

Several factors influenced this dramatic change, but the most relevanthas been a combination of multi-touch interface with a range ofoperating systems allowing for a user interaction experience optimizedfor touch interface. At the same time, users have started to adoptmobile devices in more and more active contexts: on the train, car,boat, flight, and even bikes. It is a problem that controlling a touchbased device while moving (or being part of a moving vehicle) often hasthe effect that a user inadvertently activates the mobile device oractivates the device in a way not intended.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is a first object of the invention to provide a mobile device that atleast partly mitigates this problem.

It is a second object of the invention to provide a method for operatinga mobile device that at least partly mitigates this problem.

It is a third object of the invention to provide a storage medium havingstored thereon a computer program enabling a processor to carry out amethod that at least partly mitigates this problem.

According to a first aspect of the invention a mobile device is providedcomprising

a data processing facility,

a touch control facility arranged to provide a touch input signal to thedata processing facility,

a motion state sensor facility arranged to generate a shock indicationsignal indicative for a magnitude of a third or higher derivative of aposition of the mobile device,

a mode control facility for selecting one of a plurality of mutuallydifferent operational modes, at least comprising a normal operation modewherein the touch input signal is used as control signal for controllingoperation of the mobile device and a shock touch protection mode,wherein the touch input signal is inhibited.

The mode control facility allows the mobile device to suppressinvoluntary or erroneous touch input signals that result from shocks byinhibiting the touch input signal. Inhibition of the touch input signalcan take place by switching off the touch control facility or bypreventing that a rendered touch input signal is processed. The mobiledevice according to the present invention has a motion state sensorfacility arranged to generate a shock indication signal indicative for amagnitude of a third or higher derivative of a position of the mobiledevice. This signal is directly or indirectly used by the mode controlfacility. For example the mobile device may comprise a thresholdfacility for comparing the magnitude indicated by the shock indicationsignal with a shock threshold value and providing a mode control signalindicative for a result of this comparison.

It is noted that JP2011-61316 describes a mobile device that is providedwith a proximity sensor that detects whether the mobile device is heldclose to the body, e.g. against the ear of a user. If this state isdetected the mobile device assumes an operational mode wherein touchinput is inhibited. The mobile device further has an acceleration sensorthat determines whether the mobile device is accelerated. In the lattercase, the sensitivity of the proximity sensor is increased. The signalof the acceleration sensor is not used for inhibiting the touch input.As long as the proximity sensor does not detect that the mobile deviceis held close to the body, the mobile device normally accepts touchinput signals. Moreover, the acceleration signal is not suitable forshock control management. A user in an environment, e.g. elevator ortrain, that is accelerated with a constant or slowly changing magnitudecan normally operate the mobile device by touch without riskinginvoluntary touch events.

In an embodiment the mobile device directly uses the shock indicationsignal in that upon indication by the mode control signal that saidmagnitude is greater than the shock threshold value the mobile deviceassumes the shock touch protection mode.

In an embodiment the mobile device indirectly uses the shock indicationsignal in that upon indication by the mode control signal that saidmagnitude is greater than the shock threshold value the data processingfacility assumes a shock touch alert mode, wherein a user is proposed toactivate the shock touch protection mode.

In an embodiment both direct and indirect use of the shock indicationsignal occurs. The mobile device may for example assume the shock touchalert mode when said magnitude is greater than a first shock thresholdvalue and assume the shock touch protection mode when said magnitude isgreater than a second shock threshold value greater than the first shockthreshold value.

A shock threshold value may have a fixed value, but the shock thresholdvalue may alternatively be dynamically adapted according tocircumstances. In an embodiment the mobile device comprises a thresholdadaptation facility. The threshold adaptation facility is arranged toadapt the shock threshold value according to a history of the shockinput signal, wherein the shock threshold value is positively correlatedwith said magnitude indicated by the shock input signal.

In an embodiment, the shock indication signal is also indicative for adirection of the shock and an operational mode is selected that dependson a magnitude and direction indicated by the shock indication signal.Sensors for this purpose are commercially available. For example MEMSbased acceleration sensors are available that provide accelerationsignals indicative for an acceleration measured along each of threeorthogonal axes. The jerk components corresponding to the firstderivative of each of these accelerations can be selectively used formode control. Alternatively jerk may be directly measured according toeach of three orthogonal axes. In an embodiment the mobile device isrelatively insensitive to a shock in a direction perpendicular to aplane defined by the touch control facility (touch control plane) incomparison to a shock in a direction in said plane. This is for exampleadvantageous in gaming environments, wherein a fast reaction of the useris required. In that circumstances the touch actions of the user mayinduce a shock mainly perpendicular to the touch control plane, by theforce with which the user touches the touch control facility and/or by amovement of the hand with which the user holds the mobile device. Thisrelative insensitivity for shock in a direction perpendicular to thetouch control facility may be realized by a separate, relatively highshock threshold for a shock in a direction perpendicular to the touchcontrol facility. Then shocks having a direction mainly perpendicular tothe touch control plane will only cause the mobile device to assume theshock touch protection mode if they have a relatively high magnitude.Preferably the direction sensitive motion state sensor, e.g. jerk sensoris aligned with the touch control plane. However, in case the directionsensitive motion state sensor is not aligned in this way, aligned shockindication signals may be obtained by a matrix transformation. Inanother embodiment the relative insensitivity for shock in a directionperpendicular to the touch control facility may be realized by adirection indication facility that provides a direction signalindicative for a direction of the shock relative to a normal of thetouch control plane. The direction signal can be used to control thesensitivity for shocks exerted to the device, for example by controllingthe threshold as a function of the direction signal.

The direction sensitivity may be made dependent on the type ofapplication. To that end the data processing facility may provide adirection sensitivity control signal that controls the directiondependency of the mode control facility.

In a particular embodiment of the mobile device the touch input signal,although inhibited in the shock touch protection mode, is not completelyblocked. In that embodiment the mobile device may have a mode controloverrule unit that that enables control by the touch input signal if itdetermines that a probability that the touch control signal results froma voluntary user action is greater than a probability threshold. In anembodiment this is realized in that the mode control overrule unitdetects whether the user consistently repeats a particular user action.For example if the user repeatedly touches the touch control facilitywithin a narrow region the mode control unit determines that aprobability that the touch control signal results from a voluntary useraction is greater than a probability threshold, and allows control bythe touch input signal even if the mobile device operates in the shocktouch protection mode.

An embodiment of the mobile device according to the first aspectcomprises a timer facility for maintaining the mobile device in shocktouch protection mode until a predetermined time-interval after the lastoccurrence of said magnitude greater than said shock threshold value.Therewith the behavior of the mobile device is more predictable to theuser, in that the mobile device does not switch too frequently betweendifferent operational modes. In this embodiment a user interface of themobile device may provide an indication for the remaining duration ofthe time-interval. The user interface may further provide for a usercontrol option to stop the timer, so that the normal operation mode isimmediately resumed if desired by the user.

An embodiment of the mobile device according to the first aspectcomprises a delay facility for delaying the touch input signal.

According to a second aspect of the invention a method of operating amobile device is provided that comprises the steps of

generating a shock indication signal indicative for a magnitude of athird or higher derivative of a position of the mobile device,

processing the shock indication signal,

depending on the shock indication signal selectively operating in one ofa plurality of mutually different operational modes, at least comprisinga normal operation mode wherein a user is enabled to provide a touchinput signal as control signal for controlling operation of the mobiledevice, and a shock touch protection mode, wherein control by touchinput signals is inhibited.

According to a third aspect of the invention a storage medium isprovided having stored thereon a computer program enabling a processorto carry out the method according to the second aspect.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects are described in more detail with reference tothe drawing. Therein:

FIG. 1 schematically shows a mobile device,

FIG. 2 schematically shows a first embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 3 schematically shows an overview of various operational modesselectable in an embodiment of a method of operating according to asecond aspect of the present invention,

FIG. 4 schematically shows a second embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 5 schematically shows a third embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 6 schematically shows a fourth embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 7 schematically shows a fifth embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 8 schematically shows a sixth embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail.

FIG. 9 schematically shows a seventh embodiment of a mobile deviceaccording to the first aspect of the present invention in more detail,

FIG. 10 schematically shows an embodiment of a method of operatingaccording to the second aspect of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elementsunless otherwise indicated.

FIG. 1 schematically shows a mobile device 1. The mobile device 1 is forexample one of a palmtop, an MDA, a PDA, a DAP, a PMP, a digital camera,a cell phone, a Pocket PC, a GPS device or other mobile device. Themobile device 1 may be temporarily or permanently integrated in a car orother vehicle.

The mobile device 1, of which a first embodiment is schematically shownin FIG. 2 comprises a data processing facility 10. The mobile devicefurther comprises a touch control facility 20 arranged to provide atouch input signal St to the data processing facility 10 and a motionstate sensor facility 30 arranged to generate a shock indication signalSj. The shock indication signal Sj is indicative for a magnitude of athird or higher derivative of a position of the mobile device 1.

The mobile device 1 further has a mode control facility 15. The modecontrol facility 15 serves to select one of a plurality of mutuallydifferent operational modes as is illustrated in FIG. 3.

In a normal operation mode M1 the touch input signal is used as controlsignal for controlling operation of the mobile device. The mobile devicealso has a shock touch protection mode M2, wherein the touch inputsignal St is inhibited.

In this case the motion state sensor facility 30 comprises anacceleration sensor 32. The motion state sensor facility 30 furtherincludes a differentiator 34 for calculating a time derivative of anacceleration indicated by an output signal Sa of the acceleration sensorand providing an output signal Sj indicating a jerk value of thisderivative, for example indicating a magnitude of the jerk vector or amagnitude of the largest component in the jerk vector. The mobile device1 further comprises a threshold indicating device 36 for providing ajerk threshold signal Sjt indicative for a jerk threshold value. Acomparator 38 included in the motion state sensor facility 30 comparesthe jerk value with the jerk threshold value indicated by the jerkthreshold signal Sjt and provides a mode control signal Sms to the modecontrol facility 15 that indicates whether the magnitude of the jerkexceeds the threshold indicated by jerk threshold signal Sjt. The resultof the comparison by comparator 38 is used to control the operation ofthe data processing facility 10 and therewith the operation of themobile device 1. In this case the mobile device has in addition to anormal operation mode M1 and a shock touch protection mode M2 also ashock touch alert mode M12 as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 3.During the normal operation mode M1 the data processing facility 10normally processes all touch input signals St. If the comparator 38determines that the jerk value indicated by signal Sj exceeds the jerkthreshold value then the mobile device assumes the shock touch alertmode M12. In this mode the data processing facility 10 still processesall touch input signals St, but a warning is signaled to the userindicating the risk of erroneous inputs and the user is asked whethershock touch protection mode is desired. If this is confirmed by theuser, the data processing facility 10 assumes the shock touch protectionmode M2, wherein touch input signals St are inhibited. The user mayconfirm by touch input, but alternative other input means may beprovided for this purpose, for example audio input means. In anembodiment, the comparator may be arranged to provide a motion statesignal that further indicates whether the jerk value exceeds a secondthreshold value, higher than the first threshold value. In that case thedata processing facility directly assumes the shock touch protectionmode M2, without requesting confirmation from the user. The user may usethis feature in mode M12 for giving confirmation by shaking the mobiledevice.

The shock touch alert mode M12 may be ended for example by offering theuser a choice to refuse entering shock touch protection mode. In thatcase the data processing facility 10 reassumes the normal operation modeM1.

The shock touch protection mode M2 may be terminated upon explicitrequest by the user, but may alternatively be terminated automaticallyif it is determined that the jerk value was less than a jerk thresholdvalue, for example the second jerk threshold value during apredetermined amount of time. Upon automatic termination of shock touchprotection mode M2, the data processing facility 10 may directlyreassume the normal operation mode M1, but the data processing facility10 may alternatively assume the shock touch alert mode M12, wherein theuser is requested to indicate whether a transition to normal mode M1 isdesired. It is noted that the mobile device 1 may have other operationmodes, for example the device may have intermediary shock touchprotection modes, wherein touch input operations requiring fine touchinput are inhibited, and touch input operations requiring course touchinput are still possible.

In the embodiment shown the jerk signal Sj is obtained by timedifferentiation of the acceleration signal. However, the jerk signal Sjmay be determined in other ways. For example the output signal Sj may bedirectly generated by a jerk sensor. See e.g. jerk sensor 33 in FIG. 6.Alternatively, if the position of the device can be accuratelydetermined, the jerk may be determined by a three fold differentiationof the position. Alternatively the shock indication signal may beindicative for a magnitude for a fourth and higher order derivatives ofthe position.

Depending on its function, the mobile device may comprise various otherfacilities, e.g. a display 40, a speaker 42 and/or a vibration-device 44or other output facilities. In case a display 40 is present, the touchcontrol facility may be integrated therein. Also other input facilitiessuch as a microphone 50 or a camera 52 may be provided. The mobiledevice may further be provided with communication facilities for wiredor wireless communication with other devices, such as an antenna 60 orcommunication port 62.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. Therein the device comprises aseparate touch input controller 22 that selectively passes the touchinput signals St as controlled touch input signals Stc depending on themode control signal Sms provided by the motion state sensor facility 30.Therewith the touch input controller 22 functions as a mode controlfacility.

FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the mobiledevice comprises a threshold adaptation facility 31, the thresholdadaptation facility 31 is arranged to adapt the jerk threshold value Tjindicated by the jerk threshold signal Sjt according to a history of thejerk input signal Sj. The jerk threshold value is positively correlatedwith a magnitude of the jerk J indicated by the jerk input signal Sj.This is to take into account that a user may be surprised by suddenlyoccurring jerk, even if the jerk has a moderate value. However, the usergetting accustomed to a certain level of jerk, for example when sittingin a car or train may be well capable of controlling the mobile device1. By way of example the threshold adaptation facility 31 may set thethreshold Tj to a value proportional to a moving average of themagnitude of the jerk J. The moving average may be capped to a maximumvalue, to make sure that the shock touch protection mode is stillactivated in cases of excessive jerk.

FIG. 6 shows a fourth embodiment. The mobile device 1 is a delayfacility 24 for delaying the touch input signal St. Therewith the touchinput signal St is delayed with a time-interval corresponding to aresponse time of the motion state sensor facility 30 and the modecontrol facility 22. The delay facility 24 is equally applicable inother embodiments, e.g. the embodiments described with reference toFIGS. 3 to 5. The delay facility 24 avoids that a touch signal Stinvoluntary induced at the onset of a shock can be processed normally,before the mode control facility 22 (or 15) could inhibit this touchsignal. In order to avoid interference with normal operation, thetime-interval with which the touch input signal Tj is delayed ispreferably not longer than necessary for this purpose, i.e. at least notsubstantially longer than the combined response time of the motion statesensor facility 30 and the mode control facility 22. The mobile deviceof FIG. 6 has a jerk sensor 33 that directly measures the jerk to whichthe mobile device 1 is exposed and generates an output signal Tjindicative thereof.

FIG. 7 shows a fifth embodiment. Therein the mobile device 1 comprises atimer facility 35. The timer facility 35 maintains the mobile device inshock touch protection mode M2 until a predetermined time-interval afterthe last occurrence of said magnitude greater than the jerk thresholdvalue. The timer facility 35 is activated each time upon indication bythe mode control signal Sms that the magnitude indicated by the shockindication signal Sj is greater than the shock threshold value Sjt. Aslong as the timer facility 35 is active, the (delayed) touch inputsignal St is inhibited, and therewith the mobile device is maintained inshock touch protection mode M2. The timer facility 35 is also applicablein other embodiments, e.g. embodiments wherein the mode control facility15 is integrated in the data processing facility 10.

FIG. 8 shows a sixth embodiment of the mobile device 1. Therein theshock indication signal Sj is also indicative for a direction of theshock. In this case the shock indication signal Sj has separatecomponents Sjx, Sjy, Sjz. The components Sjx, Sjy, Sjz of the shockindication signal are indicative for the components Jx, Jy, Jz of thejerk J. The component Jz is the component of the jerk J in a directionperpendicular to the touch control plane defined by the touch controlfacility 20 and Jx and Jy are the components aligned with the touchcontrol plane. The threshold indicating device 36 provides a controlsignal Sjtxyz indicative for a jerk threshold Jtx, Jty, Jtz for each ofthe directions x,y.z. Therewith the mode control facility 22 is arrangedto select an operational mode that depends on a magnitude and directionindicated by the shock indication signal Sjx, Sjy, Sjz. The mobiledevice may have predetermined direction dependent shock sensitivity, inthat the jerk threshold Jtz has predetermined relatively high value incomparison to the components Jtx, Jty. Alternatively, the directiondependency of the shock sensitivity may be controllable, for example,the data processing facility 10 may provide a direction sensitivitycontrol signal Sdsc dependent on the application processed by the dataprocessing facility 10. For example in a gaming mode the data processingfacility 10 may cause the threshold indicating device 36 to set the jerkthreshold Jtz at a relatively high value as compared to the jerkthresholds Jtx, Jty, whereas for other applications, such as readingmail or watching movies the thresholds Jtx, Jty, Jtz are at the samevalue. The threshold(s) may further be dependent on the function of theinput. For example in the context of input actions that may cause highdamages, e.g. a delete function or a disk format function, thethresholds may be set at a level higher than normal. The threshold(s)may further be adapted according to a history of the shock input signalSj.

FIG. 9 shows a seventh embodiment. In this embodiment of the mobiledevice the touch input signal, although inhibited in the shock touchprotection mode, is not completely blocked. In that embodiment themobile device may have a mode control overrule unit 24 that that enablescontrol by the touch input signal if it determines that a probabilitythat the touch control signal results from a voluntary user action isgreater than a probability threshold. In an embodiment this is realizedin that the mode control overrule unit detects whether the userconsistently repeats a particular user action. For example if the userrepeatedly, e.g. more than 5 times in 10 sec. touches the touch controlfacility 20 within a narrow region, e.g. within a radius of 5 mm, themode control unit determines that a probability that the touch controlsignal results from a voluntary user action is greater than aprobability threshold, and allows control by the touch input signal St,even if the mobile device operates in the shock touch protection mode.

FIG. 10 schematically shows a method of operating a mobile deviceaccording to the second aspect of the invention. The method comprisesthe step S1 of providing a shock indication signal indicative for amagnitude of a third or higher derivative of a position of the mobiledevice. For example a magnitude of the jerk vector is determined in thisstep. Next, in step S2 the shock indication signal is processed toenable selection a between a plurality of mutually different operationalmodes. If the magnitude is below a jerk threshold value a normal mode ofoperation (M1, FIG. 3) is assumed causing step S3 to be carried out.Therein a user is enabled to controlling operation of the mobile deviceby touch input signal as control signals. Steps S1, S2 and S3 may becarried out simultaneously. I.e. while the user controls the device withtouch control signals, the device continues to monitor the magnitude ofjerk. If in step S2 the magnitude of jerk is found to exceed a jerkthreshold value, a shock touch protection mode M2 is assumed in step S4,wherein touch control is inhibited. In an embodiment the method has anauxiliary step S5 wherein the shock touch protection mode M2 ismaintained until a predetermined time-interval after the last occurrenceof a magnitude greater than the shock/jerk threshold value.

If a moderate jerk magnitude is determined in step S2, a shock touchalert mode M12 is assumed in optional step S6. Therein the user is giventhe option to select between the normal mode of operation M1 or theshock touch protection mode of operation M2. Depending on thisselection, made in step S7 operation continues with step S3 or step S4.

In summary, the present invention provides a mobile device comprising adata processing facility 10, a touch control facility 20 arranged toprovide a touch input signal St to the data processing facility, and amotion state sensor facility 30 arranged to provide a shock indicationsignal Sj indicative for a magnitude of a third or higher derivative ofa position of the mobile device. The mobile device further comprises amode control facility 15, 22 for selecting one of a plurality ofmutually different operational modes M1, M2. The plurality of mutuallydifferent operational modes at least comprises a normal operation modeM1 wherein the touch input signal is used as control signal forcontrolling operation of the mobile device and a shock touch protectionmode M2, wherein the touch input signal is inhibited. The shockindication signal Sj is directly or indirectly used by the mode controlfacility. For example the mobile device may comprise a thresholdfacility for comparing the magnitude indicated by the shock indicationsignal with a shock threshold value and providing a mode control signalindicative for a result of this comparison.

Although embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated inthe accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detaileddescription, it will be understood that the invention is not limited tothe embodiments disclosed, but is capable of numerous modificationswithout departing from the scope of the invention as set out in thefollowing claims.

A ‘facility’, as will be apparent to a person skilled in the art, ismeant to include any hardware (such as separate or integrated circuitsor electronic elements) or software (such as programs or parts ofprograms) which reproduce in operation or are designed to reproduce aspecified function, be it solely or in conjunction with other functions,be it in isolation or in co-operation with other elements. The inventioncan be implemented by means of hardware comprising several distinctelements, and by means of a suitably programmed computer. In deviceclaims enumerating several facilities, several of these facilities canbe embodied by one and the same item of hardware. ‘Computer programproduct’ is to be understood to mean any software product stored on acomputer-readable medium, such as a floppy disk, downloadable via anetwork, such as the Internet, or marketable in any other manner.

As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,”“including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, areintended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process,method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is notnecessarily limited to only those elements but may include otherelements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method,article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary,“or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example,a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true(or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or notpresent) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (orpresent). Also, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elementsand components of the invention. This is done merely for convenience andto give a general sense of the invention. This description should beread to include one or at least one and the singular also includes theplural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A mobile device comprising: a touch signalcontroller configured to provide a touch input signal; a motion statesensor configured to generate a shock indication signal that indicates amagnitude and a direction of a third or higher derivative of a positionof the mobile device; a threshold comparator; and a mode controllerconfigured to select, based on the shock indication signal, one of aplurality of mutually different operational modes comprising: a normaloperation mode where an operation of the mobile device is responsive tothe touch input signal, and a shock protection mode where the operationof the mobile device in response to the touch input signal is inhibiteddependent upon the shock indication signal, wherein the thresholdcomparator is configured to: perform a comparison the magnitudeindicated by the shock indication signal with a shock threshold value,and provide a mode control signal that indicates a result of thecomparison, and wherein, upon indication by the mode control signal thatthe magnitude is greater than the shock threshold value, the mobiledevice operates in a shock touch alert mode that prompts a user toactivate the shock touch protection mode.
 2. The mobile device of claim1, wherein, upon the indication by the mode control signal that themagnitude is greater than the shock threshold value, the mobile deviceoperates in the shock protection mode.
 3. The mobile device of claim 1,wherein the threshold comparator is configured to: adjust the shockthreshold value according to a history of the shock input signal,wherein the shock threshold value is positively correlated with ahistoric magnitude indicated by the shock input signal.
 4. The mobiledevice of claim 1, comprising a timer configured to maintain the mobiledevice in shock protection mode for a predetermined time-interval aftera last occurrence of the magnitude greater than the shock thresholdvalue.
 5. The mobile device of claim 1, comprising a delay facility fordelaying the touch input signal.
 6. The mobile device of claim 1,further comprising a mode control overrule unit that that enablescontrol by the touch input signal in the shock protection mode if itdetermines that a probability that the touch control signal results froma voluntary user action is greater than a probability threshold.
 7. Themobile device of claim 1, wherein the shock touch alert mode is selectedby the mode controller based on the magnitude of the shock indicationsignal being above a first threshold value.
 8. The mobile device ofclaim 7, wherein the shock touch protection mode is selected by the modecontroller based on the magnitude of the shock indication signal beingabove a second threshold value, the second threshold value being greaterthan the first threshold value.
 9. A method of operating a mobiledevice, comprising acts of: determining by a touch signal controller, ashock indication signal indicating a magnitude and a direction of athird or higher derivative of a position of the mobile device; comparingthe magnitude indicated by the shock indication signal with a shockthreshold value; providing a mode control signal that indicates thecomparison; and selecting by a mode controller, based on the magnitudethe shock indication signal, an operation of the mobile device as oneof: a normal operation mode where the operation of the mobile device isin response to a touch input signal, a shock touch alert mode where theoperation of the mobile device is responsive to the touch input signaland an alert indication is provided, and a shock touch protection modewhere the operation of the mobile device response to the touch inputsignal is inhibited, wherein, upon indication by the mode control signalthat the magnitude is greater than the shock threshold value, the mobiledevice operates in the shock touch alert mode where the alert indicationprompts a user to activate the shock touch protection mode.
 10. Themethod of claim 9, wherein upon the indication by the mode controlsignal that the magnitude of the shock indication signal is greater thana second shock threshold value, selecting the shock touch protectionmode.
 11. The method of claim 9, comprising an act of adapting the shockthreshold value according to a history of the shock indication signal,wherein the shock threshold value is positively correlated with ahistoric magnitude indicated by the shock indication signal.
 12. Astorage medium that is not a transitory propagating signal or wave,having stored thereon a instructions that when accessed by a device,enables the device to perform acts of: generating a shock indicationsignal, wherein the shock indication signal indicates a magnitude and adirection of a third or higher derivative of a position of the mobiledevice; comparing the magnitude indicated by the shock indication signalwith a shock threshold value; providing a mode control signal thatindicates the comparison; and selecting, based on the magnitude of theshock indication signal, an operation of the device as one of: a normaloperation mode an operation of the device is responsive to a touch inputsignal, and a shock protection mode where the operation of the device inresponse to the touch input signal is inhibited dependent upon themagnitude of the shock indication signal, wherein, upon indication bythe mode control signal that the magnitude is greater than the shockthreshold value, the mobile device operates in a shock touch alert modewhere the alert indication prompts a user to activate the shock touchprotection mode.